Every day, AUSTRAC receives valuable financial intelligence from banks, remittance providers, cryptocurrency exchanges and other reporting entities.
Hidden within millions of transactions are clues that can expose offenders, identify victims and uncover networks involved in child sexual exploitation.
This National Child Protection Week, AUSTRAC is continuing to work with banks, law enforcement agencies, government partners, non-government agencies and international counterparts, using financial intelligence to help identify offenders, uncover networks and support investigations into crimes against children.
AUSTRAC Chief Executive Officer Brendan Thomas said protecting children remained one of the agency's most important priorities.
"Child sexual exploitation is one of the most confronting crime types we deal with, but it's also one where financial intelligence can make a genuine difference. Every payment, transfer or transaction can leave a trail,” Mr Thomas said.
"Criminals may hide behind fake identities and encrypted technology, but they still need to move money. Following those financial footprints helps us identify offenders and support law enforcement action."
One of the teams leading that effort is AUSTRAC's Child Sexual Exploitation Response Team (CSERT), a specialist group dedicated to identifying financial activity linked to child sexual exploitation, sextortion, trafficking and other crimes that harm children.
Last year, AUSTRAC's Fintel Alliance, along with CSERT, brought together analysts from banks and government agencies for a targeted project focused on domestic child sexual exploitation.
The joint effort identified 10 high-priority individuals who were referred to the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE).
Earlier this year, AUSTRAC partnered with Indonesia's Financial Intelligence Unit (PPATK), alongside counterparts from New Zealand and Malaysia, in the first dedicated international Child Sexual Exploitation Week of Action. Specialists came together in Jakarta to analyse cross-border financial activity linked to child exploitation. They identified more than 120 high risk persons of interest as a result of the Week of Action.
Mr Thomas said collaboration is critical because child exploitation networks often operate across jurisdictions.
"Child exploitation doesn't stop at national borders, and neither can we."
"The Jakarta week of action demonstrated the value of countries sharing intelligence, combining expertise and working together to identify emerging threats and investigative opportunities."
"When agencies work together, we build a clearer picture of offending and give law enforcement a better chance to intervene and protect children."
The Week of Action also strengthened regional collaboration on emerging threats including cryptocurrency, AI-generated child abuse material and the online coercion of minors. A follow-up week of action operation will be held in Brisbane later this month.
AUSTRAC also shares insights on methodology and emerging trends through intelligence products, threat alerts and practical guidance that helps partners identify suspicious activity and respond more effectively.
AUSTRAC is working to combat sextortion – an online crime that predominantly impacts minors. Through Operation HUNTSMAN, a joint initiative with the ACCCE, AUSTRAC is targeting offenders who sexually extort Australian children for financial gain.
The operation focuses on identifying offenders, facilitators, money mules and financial accounts used to receive extortion payments, while supporting victim identification and safety efforts.
"No single agency can tackle this issue alone. It takes governments, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, technology companies and communities working together," Mr Thomas said.
"National Child Protection Week is also an opportunity to recognise the people dedicating their careers to protecting children, while reminding all of us that we have a role to play."
"Every disruption matters. Every intelligence lead matters. And every child protected makes this work worthwhile."